SHOCKING new figures place Hope Hospital at the top of the league for reported violence against staff from patients.

SHOCKING new figures place Hope Hospital at the top of the league for reported violence against staff from patients.

There were 150 reported incidents of violence, along with verbal abuse and threats towards staff at the hospital between October 2004 and April 2005.

The newly released figures collected from a national NHS staff survey showed Hope in the top 20 per cent of hospitals reporting abuse from the public.

Raj Jain, director of human resources at the hospital, said: "We are working closely with police in seeking prosecutions of offenders wherever possible. We have increased security, particularly in A and E and at night and are increasing the number of staff who have been trained in managing conflict situations."

He added: "We appeal to the local community to help us. We treat thousands of law-abiding citizens here every year and it is only a handful of drunk or confused people who cause trouble. Please don't come into the hospital looking for trouble."

Hospital doctors and nurses have also found they are facing a rising tide of abuse, which often arises from people entering the doors expecting a long wait in A and E.

Mr Jain said: "They expect a long wait, when our figures in fact show that we are among the best performing hospitals in the country for treating patients within four hours."

The hospital puts their high place on the national table of abuse down to their new programme of encouraging staff to report incidents.

The red and yellow card system was introduced at the hospital six months ago to firstly warn, and then ban troublesome patients from treatment at Hope.